The Very Best of NYC Special Events

Spring Fever, Pride in the
Pines, Young Trailblazers Gala, GLBT Travel Expo, AIDS Walk, Lambda Literary Awards, Point Honors New York and much more

photo by MalindaLo.com

LAMBDA LITERARY AWARDS

On May 9, the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, NYC’s only health clinic for the LGBT community, will present Spring Fever at the Cheim & Read gallery. This fancy women’s event will honor Lisa Sherman, executive vice-president and general manager of LOGO.

Looking to party with more than 400 women at the beach? Then check out Women’s Pride in the Pines on June 8. This annual event takes place in Fire Island and features an afternoon tea dance, VIP dinner and celebrity guests, including top comic Michele Balan. This year’s honoree is Linda Gottlieb, who founded Women’s Pride in the Pines two years ago.

On April 30 Live Out Loud will be throwing its Young Trailblazers Gala at The TimesCenter. The evening will feature cocktails and a silent auction. Live Out Loud is a non-profit group that serves a much-needed purpose: creating mentor relationships between adult leaders in the gay community and queer youth.

Kick up your heels and have a blast at The Best Women’s Dance in New York (aka SAGE’s 30th Anniversary Dance) on April 21 at Club LQ. SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) began in 1978 and continues to provide services for seniors in the queer community, ranging from fun activities like theater and exercise, to important psychological resources like drop-in groups, to services for caregivers. Socialize with friends and maybe even meet someone new while supporting this great cause.

Not sure of your summer travel plans? Getting ready for your honeymoon? Whatever the case may be, you can get some pretty cool ideas along with some pretty great deals with the help of the gay-friendly exhibitors participating in the GLBT Travel Expo on April 28. This free five-hour event takes place at NYU’s Kimmel Center, and will feature reps from the finest hotels, airlines and resorts, plus travel bloggers and so much more.

It’s been a long winter. Now that the weather’s warmer, it’s time to get outside, enjoy the sweet Spring air and do something that will make you feel really good about yourself. We’re talking about the annual AIDS Walk, which happens May 19. The event has seen almost 890,000 participants in its 28-year history and has raised over $128 million. This year’s walk will be 10 km long, or a little over six miles, and begins and ends in Central Park.

Celebrate the best in LGBT literature with the Lambda Literary Awards. Every year, hundreds of titles are submitted for consideration in a slew of categories ranging from lesbian debut fiction to bisexual erotica to transgendered memoir. This year’s finalists include Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir Are You My Mother?; Adaptation, a YA novel by Malinda Lo (pictured); Carol Anshaw’s Carry the One; the late Cheryl B’s memoir My Awesome Place; and Thrity Umrigar’s bestselling The World We Found. See who wins on June 3 at The Great Hall at Cooper Union.

The Point Foundation encourages LGBT students who have the potential to become powerful leaders in their community. On April 15 the organization will be celebrating these promising stars of tomorrow at Point Honors New York, an annual gala at Pier 60. Join Judith Light, Thomas Roberts and others as they honor America’s Next Top Model judge Nigel Barker, who will be receiving a Point Courage award, and Estee Lauder, which will be receiving an Inspiration Award for the positive work it has done to help today’s gay youth. Expect performances by Kinky Boots stars Andy Kelso and Timothy Ware, plus surprise celebrity guests.

Looking for a date for all those fun Pride parties coming up? Then you just might want to check out the Butch/Femme Society’s Annual Spring Gala at Long Island’s Pompei Ristorante on April 20. The party will feature a four-course gourmet dinner, open bar and more. DJ Nancy B will be spinning tunes to keep you on your feet all night long, and you could even win a prize by entering one of the evening’s exciting raffles. Couples are welcome as well!

When most people think of Pride, they think of the big march at the end of June. But there are actually many local Pride celebrations worth checking out as well. The festivities begin on June 1 with Staten Island throwing a huge Pride fest. New Jersey and Queens celebrate their Prides on June 2; while Brooklyn has its big Pride on June 8, complete with a night parade, street fair and entertainment. (Brooklyn Pride goes all out with a morning 5k run too, if you are feeling particularly energetic.) Following that, it’s time for Rockland County to get in on the fun, with their Pride on June 9. Regardless of which Pride (or Prides) you attend, it’s a great way to learn more about your hard-working local LGBT organizations, celebrate all the rights we’ve gained so far, and bond with your community.

Mark your calendar for April 29, when for the eighth year in a row, the Family Equality Council will be celebrating Night at the Pier, an upscale New York gala on Pier 60, featuring cocktails, music, a silent auction and socializing. Honorees for this year include screenwriter, actor, producer and author Dan Bucatinsky; FEC’s former Executive Director Jennifer Chrisler; and lawyer Roberta Kaplan.

Linda Villarosa, Dr. Elizabeth Lorde-Rollins, and Dr. Jane Aronson are among the honorees at Stonewall Honors 2013: A Celebration of LGBTQ Women, an event that highlights the activism of queer women in New York. Proceeds from this event go towards the Stonewall Community Foundation. Check it out April 17 at The Bell House.